Police: Zero crime in Metro during Pacquiao-Morales bout

Crime in Metro Manila was almost down to zero as the nation was glued to television sets to watch the much-awaited third rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Mexican opponent Erik Morales, Police National Police (PNP) officials said yesterday.

Officers at the monitoring center of the PNP’s National Capital Regional Police Office, said they hardly received any crime report between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., the time the fight — including the preliminary bouts — was televised.

"There is a zero significant and insignificant crimes listed at our RTOC in the duration of the boxing match," said Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., head of the office’s regional investigation and detective management division.

This was also the case during Pacquiao’s previous fights with Morales and Mexican boxer Oscar Larios.

Rojas said one incident of purse snatching was reported yesterday, but that was at around 2 p.m., almost an hour after the fight telecast.

Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, and Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula, directors of the Southern and Quezon City Police Districts, respectively, said everything was quiet in their areas.

"So far I got no feedback of any crime incidents in Quezon City from my 11 police stations during the boxing bout," Gatdula told The STAR.

Gatdula said he did not bother to watch the bout because friends informed him by mobile phone text message the result even before the delayed telecast of the match started.

Padilla said the six cities and a municipality under the SPD also had no crime incidents reported. "That’s because even criminals watched the fight on TV."

Superintendents Ericson Velasquez and Sotero Ramos Jr., chief of police in Mandaluyong and Marikina cities respectively, said they had no crimes reported.

Police officers Delfin Bernal and Reynaldo Abaan, who were manning the Northern Police District’s gate yesterday, said their office normally receives several criminal complaints but they hardly had any visitors yesterday.

"Most people could be watching the bout between Pacquiao and Morales," Bernal said.

Mila Gatchalian, who operates the headquarters’ police radio, said no reports were radioed in either. The NPD covers Caloocan and Valenzuela cities and towns of Malabon and Navotas.

Traffic in Metro Manila’s normally choked streets was lighter, even on Sunday as people stayed home to watch the fight. Passenger buses, jeepneys, taxis, tricycles and even pedicabs were noticeably absent.

"Most drivers were watching the Pacquiao fight," said 44-year-old tricycle driver Joseph Subledo. "There were few passengers on the road anyway." — Non Alquitran, Pete Laude